One of the marvellous things about this time of year for Arriva London’s Heritage Fleet, is all the exciting and fun celebrations they get involved in.

Last week it was the Lord Mayor’s Show, and this week it was helping national treasure and cooking legend Mary Berry switch on the Christmas lights for Marlow Town Council, by supplying them with the open-top iconic red Routemaster bus RMC 1464.

The town was packed with both young and old, all delighted to have the opportunity to get a glimpse of their baking idol Mary. If you want the ideal platform for as many people as possible to see the celebrity you’ve chosen to start the festive celebrations, then there’s no better vantage point than using the Heritage Fleet’s open-topper.

Marlow Town Council reserved a space for the bus in the centre of their historic main street, outside the Chequers pub, and invited Mary to do the honours.

The recent closure of the famous Marlow bridge, following some damage from a lorry, had also been in the news, and as the bridge was to re-open the following day, journalists from BBC London also used the open top of the bus as a discussion area to interview Mary.

Before the switch on ceremony, the Bake-Off star signed books for ticket holders at Marlow Bookshop in Spittal Street, and the Marlow Choral Society, Sir William Borlase’s Grammar School Gospel Choir, the Songbirds Choir and the Tapestry Choir provided choral entertainment, while a snow machine added a special festive touch to the switch on and late-night shopping.

Arriva London are proud to have been invited once again to help Marlow with the start of their festive season, and would like to thank Marlow Council for this opportunity, and wish all of the residents of Marlow a wonderful Christmas and the compliments of the season.

For the past few years, Nadeem Fazal, the acting garage supervisor from Arriva London’s Clapton garage, has been collecting money for his favourite charity, the ‘Arthritis Self Help Network’, a small charity based in Ilford Essex.